Heat regulator for incubators



Aug. 26, 930. E. M NEIL HEAT REGULATOR FOR INCUBATORS Filed July 21, 1928 C] "canny! Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELESIE L. MCNEIL, OF COMANGHE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO A. A. KETCHUM, OF

DUNCAN.

OKLAHOMA HEAT REGULATOR FOR INCUBATORS Application filed July 21,

This invention relates. to incubators and has special reference to means for automatically regulating the temperature within the incubator chamber. The object of the in yention is to provide a simple structure which may be mounted upon the exterior of the in cubator adjacent the heater and which will include damper means controlled thermostatically from the in rior or" the incubator w to automatically divert the heat currents so that upon rise of the temperature beyond a predetermii'ied degree the circulating water will not be subjected to further heating from the lamp or other heating The invention is illustrated in the accoi saying drawing and will e he einaitter fully described, the novel features bein particularly point-ed out in LL16 appended claim. In the drawing: Figure 1 is a pe cubatoi' having my improved heat regulator applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal later, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same.

The incubator 1 may be of any approved construction and carries a lamp 2 upon one end or side in the usual manner. Secured upon the end wall of the incubator is a casing 3 having an opening in its bottom adjacent one end whereby it may fit around the upper end of the lamp chimney, as shown in Fig. 1. This casing 3 is of eouble wall construction so as to provide a water chamber 4 communicating through pipes 5 and 6 with the water chamber or tank in the incubator so that a thorough circulation of the water may so "on of the regube had. A filling opening 7 is provided in the top of the casing 3 and is normally closed by a plug or cap 8, as will be understood. A flue 9 extends longitudinally through the greater portion of the length, of the casing 3 and communicates at one end directly with the chamber 10 which fits around the upper end of the lamp chimney and at its opposite end this flue 9 communicates with a vertical passage 11 at the end of the casing which has an open lower end, as shown clearly in Fi 2, to permit the gas currents. from the lamp to escape.

spective View or an in- I 1928. Serial No. 294,375.

upper end of the link being suspended from the adjacent end of a lover or rocking arm 15 which is fulcrumed between its ends upon the top of the incubator and is connected at its inner end with a rod 16 rising through the top of the incubator and connected within the same with a thermostat (not shown) so disposed that when the temperature of the incubator chamber rises beyond a predetermined degree the lever 15 will be rocked and the cover 12 consequently lifted, while upon a decrease of the temperature beyond a predeter: mined degree the lever will be rocked to permit the cover to again seat upon the heating casing 3 and close the upper end of the chamber 10. The chamber 10 of the heat regulator is provided with an opening 17 in its outer side and pivotally mounted upon the casing immediately adjacent the top of said opening is a door 18 which depends from its pivot so as to fit within the opening 17 and normally close the same. Upon the inner side or the door below its pivot is an eye 19 in which is engaged the lower end of a litter 20 which extends at its upper end through an opening 21 provided therefor in the cover 12 and is equipped with a head 22 adapted to extend over the opening 21 and thereby prevent the lifter dropping through the openin Normally the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. When the cover 12 is raised, as before described, the upward movement thereof will be transmitted through the head 22 to the lifter 20 and, consequently, the door 18 will be swung about its pivot so that it will rock. inwardly and assume a position over the chimney of the lamp 2 and thereby deflect the heat currents rising from the chimney outwardly through the door 17 so that they cannot flow through the flue 9 and serve to heat the water within the water space 4 of the heat regulator casing. The door 18 is obviously overbalanced so that-when the cover 12 is again lowered the door will swing to its normal position closing the opening 17. The outward movement of the door 18 will be lim-' oil ited by the lifter rod 20 but in order to insure the stopping of the door within the opening 17 and to prevent its swinging outwardly so as to uncover said opening a stop flange 23 may be provided at the lower end of the door to impinge against the lip 24tformed on the casing 3 at the lower side of the door opening 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The entire heat regulator may be constructed of sheet metal so that it will be very light and at the same time durable and may be readily applied to any incubator at a low cost. The device is entirely automatic in its Operation so that it will need no attention and will maintain a substantially uniform temperature in the water which is utilized to heat the incubator chamber. The door 17 may be swung inwardly independently of the cover 12 if access to the interior of the device should be desired for any reason or if it should be desired at any time to lower the temperature faster than the automatic action of the thermostat and the cover would accomplish such result but whenever the cover is raised the door will be opened and the weight of the door aids in returnin the cover to closed position and holding it closed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A heat regulator for incubators comprising a casing adapted to be secured upon the side of the incubator and having a water space, a vertical passage at one end of the casing closed at the top and open at the bottom, a chamber passing vertically through the easing open at both top and bottom with its lower end to be placed in communication with a heater, a horizontal flue connecting said chamber with said passage, a cover for the top of said chamber, the chamber having an opening in its front side, a door pivotally mounted upon the casing above said opening and normally closing the same, the upper end of the door extending above the opening to impinge against the outer side of the casing, and a litter engaged at its upper end in the cover and connected at its lower end with the door below the pivot of the same whereby when the cover is raised the door will be swung through the opening into the heat chamber to deflect heat through the opening in the side of the heater.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ELESIE L. MGNEIL. [14. s] 

